Inert Gases In The Control Of Museum Insect Pests

A serious problem facing museum professionals is the protection of collections from damage due to insects. This book describes successful insect eradication procedures developed at the Getty Conservation Institute and elsewhere, whereby objects are held in an atmosphere of either nitrogen or argon containing less than 1000 ppm of oxygen—a process known as anoxia—or in an atmosphere of more than 60 percent carbon dioxide. Techniques, materials, and operating parameters are described in detail. The book also discusses adoption of this preservation technology, presenting the development of these methods and instructions for building and upgrading treatment systems, as well as recent case histories. The Research in Conservation reference series presents the findings of research conducted by the Getty Conservation Institute and its individual and institutional research partners, as well as state-of-the-art reviews of conservation literature. Each volume covers a topic of current interest to conservators and conservation scientists.

Museums throughout the world face the challenge of finding nontoxic methods to control insect pests. This book focuses on practical rather than theoretical issues in the use of oxygen-free environments, presenting a detailed, hands-on guide to the use of oxygen-free environments in the eradication of museum insect pests.

Museums throughout the world face the challenge of finding nontoxic methods to control insect pests. This book focuses on practical rather than theoretical issues in the use of oxygen-free environments, presenting a detailed, hands-on guide to the use of oxygen-free environments in the eradication of museum insect pests.

Surveys of natural history and art museums indicate that beetles belonging to the families Anobiidae and Dermestidae and moths belonging to the family Tineidae are major pests. Other groups such as termites and silverfish may also be extremely important, especially in southeast Asia. Current control recommendations include the use of space fumigation or surface residual spraying. In addition to the need to train museum personnel to use these insecticides, there is always the potential for damage to rare antiquities and artifacts. The primary objectives of this study were to determine: (1) if controlled or modified atmospheres were lethal and (2) to establish the minimum time required to provide 100% kill of all developmental stages of insects likely to infest materials, objects, and artifacts in museums.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is not a static approach but one that is constantly evolving. Mass international travel, climate change and other factors contribute to the spread of new pests, and the pests themselves are constantly seeking out weaknesses in our defences. An understanding of the threats pests pose to collections and the necessity for a systematic approach to combat them is now firmly embedded in the work of collection care practitioners. In addition, the trustees and sponsoring bodies of collecting institutions recognise that it is a significant and cost-effective element of good collections management. 2011: A Pest Odyssey, 10 years later describes examples of how the IPM approach has been adopted by large and small institutions around the world, and highlights the many lessons learned along the way. Principal among these is never to become complacent and tied down to routine processes. Another important lesson is the need to ensure colleagues understand and are involved with the process of pest management. There is also a need to understand the wider implications of any pest control activity, for example the effect of chemical treatments on DNA. Coming out of the second Pest Odyssey conference, this book will promote wider understanding and implementation of IPM as an integral part of any collection management programme. The organisers and editorial team hope that everyone involved with the care of cultural heritage collections and buildings will find something of interest and value in this work.

This book contains forty reviewed papers delivered at the International Congress on Molecular Biology and Cultural Heritage held in Seville, March 2003. It is divided in four parts, the first one presents the state-of-the-art and reviews molecular techniques applied to the study of microbial communities colonizing monuments and cultural heritage assets. Part two covers specific molecular techniques used in biodetereoration studies, part three includes an updated overview on on-going biodetereoration European Commission projects, and part four presents selected biodetereoration case studies from all over the world.

This book aims to assess, evaluate and critically analyze the methods that are currently available for a judicious pest management in durable food. It presents and analyzes a vast amount of methods that are already in use in “real world” industrial applications. After the phase-out of methyl bromide, but also the withdrawal of several insecticides and the continuously updated food safety regulations, there is a significant knowledge gap on the use of risk-reduced, ecologically-compatible control methods that can be used with success against stored-product insect species and related arthropods. The importance of integrated pest management (IPM) is growing, but the concept as practiced for stored products might differ from IPM as historically developed for field crops. This book discusses a wide variety of control strategies used for stored product management and describes some of the IPM components. The editors included chemical and non-chemical methods, as both are essential in IPM. They set the scene for more information regarding emerging issues in stored product protection, such as emerging, alien and invasive species as threats for global food security, as well as the importance of stored-product arthropods for human health. Finally, the analysis of the economics of stored product protection is presented, from theory to practice.

This book is a comprehensive resource covering the principles and practice of the conservation and restoration of furniture, and other decorative art objects made wholly or partly of wood. It integrates theory with practice to show the principles which govern interaction between wooden objects, the environmental and conservation treatments and the factors which need to be taken into account to arrive at acceptable solutions to conservation problems. The practical knowledge and experience of a team of conservators active in the field are bought together with theoretical and reference material from diverse sources and unified within a systematic framework. Specialist conservators from related disciplines cover diverse materials often incorporated into furniture.

Handbook of Museum Textiles Textiles have been known to us throughout human history and played a vital role in the lives and traditions of people. Clothing was made by using different materials and methods from natural fibers. There are different varieties of textiles, out of which certain traditional textiles, archaeological findings, or fragments are of cultural, historical, and sentimental value such as tapestries, embroideries, flags, shawls, etc. These kinds of textiles, due to their historical use and environmental factors, require special attention to guarantee their long-term stability. Textile conservation is a complex, challenging, and multi-faceted discipline and it is one of the most versatile branches of conservation. Volume II of the Handbook of Museum Textiles provides precise instruction for conservation techniques to preserve the textile heritage more scientifically and technologically. Additionally, the book covers the most modern techniques used to characterize archaeological textiles and dyes. Progress and innovation in nanotechnology-based interventions in museum textiles are emphasized. Chapters cover the general introduction to biological damage caused by physical and chemical agents and their prevention methods. Information on microscopy and characterization of historical textiles, ancient dyes, and prints is highlighted. Several aspects of assessment of degradation, repair, and stabilization of antique textiles are presented in depth. Experimental research methods for diagnosis and scientific study of fibers and natural dyes using LC-MS and UV-VIS are described. Practical knowledge based on analysis and visualization of historical textiles for the needs of museum conservation, exhibition, digital technology, and virtual museums is addressed as well. Audience It will serve as an educational asset and tool for researchers, art scholars, archaeologists, museum curators, and those who are interested in the field of traditional or historic textile collections.